Friday, November 18, 2011

Tobin: Redistricting Commission Has Been "Hijacked by a Partisan Ploy To Demolish the Democratic Process"

Rep. Andy Tobin, speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives, responds to the Arizona Supreme Court's decision to reinstate Colleen Mathis as head of the Independent Redistricting Commission:

I am extremely disappointed that the Court has chosen to reinstate a biased czar to the Independent Redistricting Commission. By placing Ms. Mathis back at the helm of the Commission, the Court has substituted its opinion for the voice of the people through those they have actually elected to represent them. The Court has removed the last remaining check and balance on an unelected and unaccountable body that has spent months blatantly and proudly violating open meeting laws, meeting in secret, ignoring voter mandates and placating the Democrat Party and the Obama administration. If this Commission is not put to a stop, the Court’s decision means more secrecy and more gerrymandering from a body that has shown a disdain for the Constitution. Moving forward, I am putting all options on the table in an effort to protect our state from being hijacked by a partisan ploy to demolish the democratic process.

We give Tobin points for the use of the word "czar," which is a nice dog whistle to the Tea Party crowd. But really: Having four heavily Republican districts, two heavily Democratic districts and three competitive districts is "a partisan ploy to demolish the democratic process"? Hard to swallow that, Mr. Speaker.